A reader sends in the following link and info:"Interesting that Shiller is on the right side of the issue .. ish. Either amendment is pure bull. The ordinance should put the onus on the landlord to provide the tenant with their deposit within x number of days, with no need for anyone to generate any sort of documentation.
Of course, this is Helen, so any possible way to overly complicate an issue is good by her.
However, the interesting point being that I was unaware that Helen is a landlord with 100 units.
Where are these units, and ... yes - are they subsidized with any tax dollars?
Readers want to know."
Read more at True/Slant and Megan Cottrell here
Update: A savvy reader points out that being a landlord with 100 units is NOT something mentioned on Ald. Shiller's "statement of financial interests." Surely she bought these AFTER that document was filed just about a year ago, right?
Update #2: Looks like according to someone in attendance at the meeting, Ald. Shiller was possibly speaking "hypothetically" when she mentioned owning 100 units.
Update #3: Megan Cottrell has issued a correction on her original story. Apparently the room of 150 people were just as confused by Ald. Shiller's commentary.
Is Shiller referring to her interests in Toia Building Properties?
ReplyDeleteMethinks that is a mistake.
ReplyDeleteShiller owns that 4 flat with Toia.
If she owns 100 units she's certainly kept it quiet.
And by properties managed by Toia Building Properties I mean such as this sweetheart deal for Toia from 1998 for the hefty sum of $10,000.00 for redevelopment. The property in question is now developed to look like this.
ReplyDeleteI was at the meeting. Shiller got caught in a lie during the hearing.
ReplyDeleteThe thing is Schiller said she is a Landlord for 100 units, and always pays back her Security Deposits -- in full, with interest *at the end* of her supposed tenants' Leases. She said any "responsible" Landlord should be able to do the same.
Lots of Landlords were testifying about the rigidity of the RLTO re: Deposits, and that small mistakes lead to stiff penalties for Landlords, with no recourse or room to correct errors.
When a small Landlord (who suffered damages under the RLTO) spoke before the committee, he said he wasn't aware you had to pay security deposit INTEREST back annually; he simply did so at the end of the tenant's Lease.
But he slipped in something to the effect of "In essence, I did what Alderman Shiller herself said she does -- pay interest in full at the end of the Lease -- yet I had to pay stiff penalties."
Shiller kind of stammered while some said "You said it; you said it! Check the record!"
Shiller then backtracked, saying she used her example HYPOTHETICALLY, insinuating she isn't a Landlord after all. This got some heckling from the Landlords in attendance.
Stay tuned. The deadline to file financial interest disclosure forms is this Saturday.
ReplyDeleteWhich, of course, leads one to wonder when else she has spoken hypothetically ..., and how is it that her constituents are supposed to know the difference?
ReplyDeleteRegardless, a massive, embarassing fail on her part which ony further deteriorates what precious little credibility that may remain in her tenure.
She's her own worst enemy.
I am sure Shiller and her son own a lots of property in Uptown.
ReplyDeleteShe is as crooked as they come.
The only way for change to happen is to vote her out.
ReplyDeleteThe only way to vote her out is to educate people.
The only way to educate people is to spread the word about the Uptown Update.
She thinks this is a small group of people that want her out of office remember...might have to prove her wrong about that come election day.
The only way to educate people is to spread the word about the Uptown Update.
ReplyDeleteWell .. it doesn't hurt to educate people via discussion, either.
Talk to your friends, neighbors and anyone else in the 46th and let them know your thoughts.
Get involved in social networking sites.
Contact the media when you see something that might pique their interests.
Guide people to UU, I guess, especially if they'd like to join the discussion; but, there are a lot folks who don't like Shiller and aren't fans of this site.
(No offense, UU).
Point being: there are many different ways to skin a cat.
Let's not overlook any of them cuz this is one big cat, with a lot of skin ... to use a very weak analogy
I have read one comment from U/U that really started to tweek my curiosity. I don't remember word for word verbatim, but this person called Ald. Shiller a poverty pimp. By the time I was finished reading her comment, I felt that I was enlightened about a few things. And when I look around, a lot of what this U/U commenter said is true. Schools,parks,hospitals,TIF's
ReplyDeleteI don't consider myself anyone special. And I don't think I'm better than anyone else,but yes it's true,I'm almost sitting on the fence and tempted to invest in a U/U tee-shirt to sport in the up comming summer months. What's right is right.Election time is approaching, we have to think about EVERYONE"S future in Uptown.